After the Fire and into the Flames
by fanpersonthingy
Summary: The new girl doesn't fit in very well. She has also taken an intrest in Johnny Cade. Nothing he does can make her leave him alone and there is a small part of him that's not sure he wants her to.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters except for Nancy.

**a/n:** I want to get better at writting so constructive criticism is completly welcome. If you do not like something or think it doesn't work then please tell me and if you can please tell me how you think it could be fixed. I want to get better at writting and need your help to do it.

* * *

It was in the park that any of them saw her for the first time. It was an occasion that neither Johnny nor Ponyboy soon forgot.

She was lying in the grass making her nearly invisible. In fact they only saw her because Ponyboy almost tripped over her form.

"Sorry," he apologized, his ears turning red.

This girl didn't seem to have heard him though or if she did she was ignoring him. She was just staring up at the sky like it was the most interesting thing in the world. If he didn't know better Johnny would have sworn she was searching desperately for something in that endless stretch of blue, but he knew that was pointless. There is never anything to find up above us nothing tangible anyways.

When the boys were a few paces away from where the girl lay she said something, "He always loved to look up there. He would spend hours just staring."

The two stopped walking even though they were both sure that this girl wasn't talking to them. Something in her voice made them stop to listen; it would have made anybody stop even if they didn't want to.

"I never got what he found interesting about it," her voice held a strange mixture of wonder and grief, "He would spend all day just staring at the sky if I didn't make him stop."

She didn't speak, so Pony and Johnny started walking away again. Before the girl got out of sight Johnny turned back around to look at her. She was pointing at the sky like she was trying to show something to somebody, but she was all by herself. When she lifted her arm her sleeve fell away from it to reveal a long red mark covering the outside of her arm, and running back under the sleeve.

Johnny reached up to the scar on his face.

"You coming, Johnny?" Ponyboy turned around when he noticed his friend had stopped.

Johnny turned towards the younger boy letting his hand fall away from his cheek, "Sure man, let's split."

That was over a week ago, but the weird behavior and mark on the girls arm had kept popping up in Johnny's head. He couldn't stop it.

"Class this is Nancy Richardson," the math teacher said, "She just moved here all the way from Canada."

Johnny tiredly looked up at the new pupil and did a double take. She was the girl from the park. Nancy Richardson was the girl who had laid in the grass and stared at the sky. Johnny was sure he wouldn't have mistaken the girl's raven black hair.

"I know you will all make her feel welcome," the teacher continued.

The look on Nancy's face as she looked out at her new peers clearly said that she felt differently. A quick look around the room and what he knew of his classmates made Johnny agree with Nancy; these people weren't about to make her feel welcome. He felt slightly guilty when he included himself in the 'these people' but in the end Johnny really felt he couldn't blame them.

Even without having been there to witness her bizarre behavior in the park anyone could peg this girl as far from normal. Her clothes were enough to set her apart from the rest.

You could tell that there had been some attempt at fitting in with the rest of the crowd – the decent crowd anyways. She was wearing the recommended knee length or longer skirt with a blouse but it wasn't quite to the dress code. The skirt was well past the knees but the extra skirt length did not make-up for the fact that her blouse was not buttoned up to the appropriate spot. It was one or two buttons below what every other girl wore theirs at; this resulted in showing more skin then some would find acceptable. On top of all that, she was wearing an old, battered, black, leather, jacket. All in all, she was probably going to have trouble finding a group of friends.

After a few minutes of staring, she smiled and said, "Hello!"

The students looked at each other then a few mumbled a weak or sarcastic greeting back.

None of this seemed to faze her though. After that initial look of doubt at the teacher's assurance that she would be welcomed she kept a smile on her heart-shaped face.

"Well," the teacher said looking around the room and clapped her on the shoulder, "why don't you talk a seat back there by Mr. Cade. He's a nice lad, and once again a pleasure to have you in our class, Ms. Richardson."

"You must be Mr. Cade," she whispered as she sat in the seat assigned to her.

A nod of his head was all the recognition this comment got from Johnny. This wasn't a very unusual thing. Johnny Cade wasn't much of a talker, even when he was with his friends. He was more of the silent type, and his silence only got worse when he was with a member of the opposite sex. All in all, there wasn't much going for this girl to get him to talk to her.

She reached her hand across the two desks, "I'm Nancy."

Johnny looked down at the outstretched hand for a few minutes before gingerly shaking it.

"So, do you have a first name Mr. Cade?" she asked when Johnny didn't offer his in return for hers.

Johnny looked at her from the corner of his eye before answering quietly, "Johnny."

He didn't really want to encourage this girl to continue talking to him, but he was sensing that she was the type that would just keep pestering you until you answer her questions. So in the end, she won't shut her trap unless you say something to her.

"You aren't much of a talker," she whispered as the teacher started taking role call, "are you Mr. Cade?"

"Not really," Johnny said hoping that would stop her lip flappin', and for a long time she did keep quiet.

Only when Johnny finally thought she would stop talking did she bring up the one thing Johnny had been hoping was forgotten.

"I remember you from the park," she said taking her homework from the teacher, "You and your friend, the one with the red-ish brown hair."

She pauses only for a moment, and then kept talking when Johnny didn't fill the gap of silence with noise, "Well I assumed he's your friend. You two sure didn't look much like brothers," it was as she said this that she got a far away look in her eye. It reminded Johnny of the girl he had seen in the park, "I had a brother… once."

She trailed off, and didn't say anything after that.

It was such a weird statement Johnny was tempted to break the silence that he had been wishing for, for so long just to ask her what she had meant by it. Before he had decided to say anything to her though the bell rang, and she grabbed all of her things, and walked out of the room with an amazing amount of speed – for a girl that was.

As he watched her leave Johnny Cade had the weirdest felling in the pit of his stomach. He had never met anyone – girl or not – like Nancy. He knew for a fact that he wished he had never met her. He would be perfectly happy if when she left the room it was the last time he ever saw her. In fact he would be more than happy if that happened, but there was an extremely small part of him that was disagreeing with this. This Microscopic part was wondering as he watched Nancy Richardson leave the room just when he would see her again.

* * *

School was just a form of entertainment for Two-Bit Mathews; that is why he always left when it got boring. His second period teacher had sent him to the office for 'misbehavior'. Two-Bit thought it had been pretty funny. The English teacher just needed to get a sense of humor. So, instead of going to the office Two-Bit took that as an invitation to leave school.

Two-Bit decided to spend his, now, free period with a cancer-stick out by his old souped-up car. After only a few minutes of leaning on his vehicle, he flung the half-finished smoke down on the ground and squashed the burning embers with his foot. He then proceeded to walk around the parking lot because standing on his own was getting dull for a person as social as Two-Bit.

He started walking away from the parking lot, towards the back of the school. If there was anyone else skipping and still on school grounds they could be found back there. He was passing the first dumpster when he heard the sobbing.

He didn't know what the sound was at first, but then he spied the girl behind the second dumpster. She wasn't an unattractive broad, Two-Bit decided, for someone who wasn't blonde. He thought she looked pretty good. That is, what he could see of her looked good.

Her raven black hair was pulled up into a high, perky, ponytail that completely clashed with the tears running down her face. The ponytail was tied together with a pale blue piece of cloth that matched her long full skirt. She was clinging to a battered, black, leather jacket like it was the only thing she had left of the world. If she hadn't been clinging to the jacket Two-Bit would have been able to see that the white blouse she wore wasn't buttoned up all the way to the top.

Two-Bit, of course, didn't notice any of that though. What he did notice was the waterfall of tear running down her face and the incoherent sobbing. She was mumbling to herself; Two-bit couldn't understand much, but he thought he heard the name Chris, more than once. All this, made the usually easy going, Two-Bit start backing in the other direction. Bawling chicks were not something he wanted to get messed up in; not even attractive bawling chicks. That was something a guy did not mess with unless he was really scheming on the girl; which Two-Bit most defiantly was not.

After he got a safe distance away, he turned around and was bookin' to his car.

"That," he chuckled to himself as he got into his car, "was a close one."

* * *

Whether he liked it or not, Johnny didn't have to wait too long before he saw Nancy Richardson again. At the end of the day she found him at the front of the school with Two-Bit. All of the weird quietness that she had, had at the end of first period had gone, and she was back to being her strangely outgoing, naïve self.

"Hello Mr. Cade," she said nodding as she walked past him.

As he watched her form disappear from sight for the second time that day, he thought that was all she going to say to him, but then when she was only a few feet away, she stopped and turned back to look at him.

"You know what Johnny Cade?" she asked with a sphinx like smile, "I'll get you to talk to me. I don't mean those whispered one word answers you give me when you can't get out of talking to me. I mean really and truly talk to me. I'll get you to do that before I leave this place."

Of all the things Johnny could be thinking after a statement like that, for some reason, all he could wonder about was, _why is she going to leave? _


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters except for Nancy and her little world of people

* * *

"Who was that broad?" Two-Bit asked Johnny.

Two-Bit had been surprised when he first saw the broad that had been crying out behind the school walking his and Johnny's way. He was even more surprised though when the girl turned around and started talking Johnny. Johnny Cade wasn't exactly known for being a 'lady's man', as they say.

Johnny shrugged his shoulders, "Name's Nancy, sits beside me first period. Don't know much more about her."

"Shoot kid," Two-Bit laughed, "she sure seems to know you. She's friendly enough."

"She talked to me in class," he shrugged, "just the talkative type."

Two-Bit laughed, "Bet you two were like two peas in a pod, since you're such a talkative one too."

Johnny just shook his head, put his hands in his coat pocket, and started walking in the direction of home. Two-Bit had to run to catch up.

"You'll have fun with that one," Two-Bit laughed ruffling Johnny's hair like he was dog, or a small child, "Though seriously man, if you want the broad to back off I'm here for you."

Two-Bit then proceeded in acting out how he would get Nancy to back off, making Johnny laugh. Of course Two-bit wouldn't actually punch a girl; a gentleman never hurt a lady – unless the lady was asking for it – and Two-Bit liked to consider himself a gentleman, of sorts.

The two boys walked in a comfortable silence after Two-Bit was done acting like a fool.

"You know," Two-Bit said breaking the calm, "this Nancy is one fine looking broad."

Johnny shrugged as if indifferent "Thought you only liked blondes?"

"Now, Now," Two-Bit said dusting imaginary dust off his jacket, "I am a Gentleman of variety."

"Who only dates blondes," Johnny ended for Two-Bit with a taunting smile.

"Well now," Two-Bit said smiling too, "You are mouthy when you decide to talk, and I don't think that is anyway to talk to your wingman."

Johnny just shook his head and continued walking.

_Man, she was a foxy little thing,_ Two-Bit thought to himself, _for someone without blonde hair that is._ Two-Bit could easily see how someone could fall for a looker like that. Hell he probably would too if she had blonde hair. His mind started playing a movie reel of his past relationship and flings, since he was a man after all, and a man can not be a gentleman all the time. The more he watched the more he saw the same ending over and over again. He realized that he had forgotten the most important thing.

"Hey Johnnycakes," Two-Bit stopped walking, "don't forget to watch you back man. Girls can be deceivingly cruel, man, deceivingly cruel."

"Don't flip your wig man; she's just some girl the teach put beside me."

* * *

Nancy walked into her aunt's house and kicked off her shoes.

"I'm bac-home!" she called out to the empty house. When she got no response, she shouldered her bag, and headed for the kitchen. Nancy's mom's younger sister Betty and her husband George were sitting at the table.

Nancy grabbed a shinny, red, apple out of the bowl on the counter, before joining them at the table.

"Hey sweetie," Aunt Betty said, "How was your first day?"

Nancy bit into her apple before responding, "Ok. It could have been better but then again it also could have been worse."

"Nancy do not talk with your mouth full," Betty scolded.

"Sorry," she said after swallowing the apple chunk in her mouth, "umm… has … has anyone phoned… or told you... anything."

There was a moment's pause before anything happened. Then her aunt reached across the table and put a hand on top of Nancy's; Nancy knew what was going to come out of her mouth before she said it.

"Aw, honey I'm really sorry."

After a few seconds, Nancy extracted her hand out from under her aunt's, and got up, "I'm going to go up to the guest- err I mean my room. Holler when dinner's ready."

Slowly, Nancy picked her bag up off the floor, and trudged up the stairs; her limbs were weighed down with the weight of her disappointment.

Though Nancy hadn't been expecting much more than what she had heard. At least she knew she shouldn't be expecting more, but she couldn't stop hoping. All she has heard is 'I'm not sure' and 'I don't know' for the past four weeks. For professionals it seemed to Nancy that the doctors sure didn't know much. They couldn't confirm anything… anything except for stuff she didn't want to be confirmed. It just didn't seem fair; Nancy felt like she had been through so much already the least these people could do, if they couldn't tell her what she wanted to hear, was to tell her something besides 'I don't know'.

Nancy pushed the door to the guest room – now her room – open, and threw her book bag into the corner of the room.

"Oh Sam," she said gathering the small dog into her arms and sinking onto the bed, "What am I going to do?"

Sam let out a yelp that Nancy decided to interpret as a yelp of sympathy but was more likely than not the dogs way of saying let me go.

Sam was Nancy's best friend, and possible the only thing she had left in the world. Ever since her family had bought the young, spaniel, puppy, four years before, Nancy felt like she couldn't confide in anyone else like she could with Sam. She knew she rubbed quiet a few people the wrong way with her enthusiastic personality, and she was fine with that, she really was. There were still times though when all she need was a close friend and Sam had done that for her. The only other living thing she ever felt she could confide in the way she confided in Sam was Chris, and he was… well he wasn't going to be listening to anyone again. Sam was the only one left that wouldn't judge Nancy.

Slowly, Nancy set Sam on the floor and walked over to the wall length, mirror across the room. With a quivering hand, she slowly, started unbuttoning the blouse, button by button until there was no more buttons left. She then slowly removed the thin material of the top away from her right shoulder and off her right arm, revealing the wide red welt-like scar covering both.

This red mark etched – burned – on to her skin would never go away. As long as Nancy lived, this scar would be snaking around her arm; that was one of the things the doctors could tell her quite confidently. It was her permanent reminder of the past she has tried so desperately to forget.

In time it could be possible for the memories, even the pain she felt, to fade but not that scar. It would be there every single day when she woke up and got dressed; reminding her of the horror and the pain, reminding her of the chaos and panic, reminding her of everything she wanted to forget. She would remember that she made it out and they didn't.

It didn't hurt; Nancy couldn't feel a thing. In fact, it was almost like there was no skin there at all. That didn't mean, however, that Nancy didn't know it was there. Nancy always knew that, that scar was there, and she most likely always would. No matter how many layers of clothes she put over top of it, it would always feel bare and visible.

Nancy chocked out a sob and sunk to the floor.

"Why?" Nancy sobbed and weakly banged a fist against the mirror, "Why didn't you take me too?"

* * *

Actually wanting to go to class was a new and bizarre sensation for Johnny; he couldn't figure out exactly why he wanted to go. Well he knew _why_ he wanted to go, it was because of Nancy, but what he didn't know was _why_ he wanted to see _Nancy_.

Nancy was just this girl who was seated beside him. She was not anyone worth spending all his time thinking about, but that was exactly what Johnny was doing. All evening he had found himself thinking of Nancy, even when he didn't want to.

He didn't understand any of it; Nancy had given him no reason to even like her. He had known her for one day (possible two if you wish to count the park meeting) and in that time span she had gone from being strangely bizarre and border-line insane, to being incredible annoying, then back to bizarre. None of those things are the least bit appealing to anyone. They weren't to Johnny anyway – not normally that is. Yet still this girl had seemed to entrance him.

Johnny was sure it was a fluke. In fact, he was blaming it all on Two-Bit. He was the one who started it by mentioning that Nancy was good looking. Two-Bit just got the idea into his head, and it was stuck there all evening. As soon as Johnny saw her again he was sure he would forget all the silly things Two-Bit got into his head and go back to not liking her.

The more he thought about it the more positive Johnny became that this was the way it was. By the time he got to math class, Johnny was so confident that he was convinced that one look at Nancy would cure him of this plague that had seemed to come over him.

Time went on, however, and Nancy didn't show up. The bell rung, the announcements went, and Mr. Lakeland started his class; Nancy didn't show. Johnny started wondering where she was and started making up places she could be, people she could be with, and things she could be doing. The more time that passed, the more extravagant these little scenarios got, and then his, own, little scenarios started make Johnny upset.

About half way through the class the door burst open.

"Sorry," gasped Nancy. She sounded like she had been running, "I slept through my alarm. Then… then my aunt and uncle had already left so I had to walk… more like run the whole way here."

Nancy was wearing her hair down today making a curtain that veiled her face from the rest of the class.

The teacher stopped making notes on the board and stared at Nancy for a few minutes, "It's Ok Ms. Richardson. Go take your seat, and we will continue our lesson. Make sure you get the notes you missed from someone."

Nancy nodded, and then walked, head down, to her seat at the back of the room.

Instead of being reminded of how much Johnny didn't care for the girl – like he had been so sure would happen - Johnny saw that Two-Bit had been right; Nancy was quite good looking. That was, what he could see of her was good looking; she still had her head bowed covering her face completely with her hair.

It was a little while later that he would see her face again.

"Mr. Cade," she whispered – the first words she had said to him all class, "may I see your notes, please?"

Johnny nodded his head slowly and handed her the sheet where he had written the notes.

"Thank you," she said and turned back to her desk, but Johnny just kept staring.

Her eyes were all red, and blood-shot, and the skin around her eyes, and cheeks was blotchy. Johnny would have said it looked like she had been crying, if that was what he had been truly focusing on.

What he had realized in that second that he saw her face was that Two-Bit had been wrong. Nancy wasn't good looking; she was stunningly beautiful.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters except for Nancy and her little world of people.

* * *

The sun was shinning brightly when the final bell rung dismissing the students for the end of the day.

The halls were in the usual frenzy that they became when the students were released from their jail like classrooms. On this day they were even more encouraged to leave the school by the sun. The air was filled with an excitement that could only come from that promise of a coming weekend.

Kids were everywhere. They were spilling out of the doors of the school into the sun. They were standing in little clusters making plans for their free time or standing alone waiting for their friends meet them. All about you could hear yells and calls of things like, 'later', 'hurry up' and even the occasional, "my Old Man's going to kill me."

It was a sunny Friday afternoon and no one was going to waste it.

Johnny and Two-Bit were standing at the edge of the school parking lot discussing what they should do. Steve and Sodapop were at work, as was Darry. No one knew where Dally was so it was going to be just the two amigos till they ran into someone else.

Two-Bit was leaning on the chain link fence that was used to keep the students on the property, not that it was very effective.

"So, Johnnycake, what is the plan?" Two-Bit asked looking out of the corner of his eye at the form standing in front of him, with his shoulders hunched up.

Before Johnny had a chance to answer a chorus of cat calls and other rude noises came from the other end of the parking lot.

The two boys turned their heads to see what – well more like whom – all the commotion was about. There were five or six greasers down at that end of the black pavement all staring appreciatively at a black haired broad who was looking away from Two-Bit and Johnny.

Two-Bit however felt confident that he knew who the girl was even without seeing her face. Two-Bit Mathews knew he wouldn't be lucky enough for it not be that girl. He was sure that this was god's twisted form of punishment for all the drinking, and flings.

His suspicions were confirmed when one of the greasers – a fellow Two-Bit knew to be called Paul – called out to the girl, "Hey, why don't you tell us what you got underneath those clothes?"

The girl turned to look at Paul with a look that amazingly held both amusement and disgust at the same time, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

She then started walking away from the boys – and towards Johnny and Two-bit - muttering under her breath. She was talking too quietly to be heard by anyone else but Two-Bit felt as if Paul and his friends were most likely on the receiving end of a few curses and colourful names.

Two-Bit had known it was going to be Nancy Richardson before he had even turned around. He just knew he wouldn't be lucky enough for it not to be.

He didn't know why he didn't like Nancy he just knew he didn't. He had only seen her a few times and never actually spoken to her; he knew it was unfair to not like her but Two-Bit couldn't change the way he felt.

It was possible that it was that first crossing of paths that had turned Two-Bit against her so much. That he was so afraid of being in another situation with a girl crying again that he was now ready to make any excuse to keep away from Nancy so he won't end up in another situation like the first. It was also a possibility that he didn't like her for Johnny's sake. It was quite obvious that Nancy had taken an interest in Johnny, and even though Johnny had said differently Two-Bit had a feeling Johnny liked her back. So Two-Bit was being protective of his friend; broads simple couldn't be trusted, and Two-Bit didn't want to see Johnny get hurt. So he immediately decided not to like her for that reason.

It was most likely a mixture of the two added on to the fact that teenagers had never been a very welcoming group of people that made Two-Bit not like her.

It didn't matter which reason was motivating Two-Bit's dislike of Nancy, when Nancy stopped walking and stood beside Johnny Two-Bit didn't like it. Two- Bit didn't like her.

"Imagine," she gasped looking much more appalled than she had around Paul, "I can not believe the indecency of some people."

Two-Bit looked at her blandly before breaking into a mischievous grin, "Well, doll face, if you came over here to find decent people than you should probably keep on walking."

She gave Two-Bit an appraising look that lead Two-Bit to ask, "Like what you see?"

She shrugged in indifference, "Seen better. If you must know Mr.…?"

"Two-Bit," he supplied, "Two-Bit Mathews."

"If you must know Two-Bit I came over here to return Mr. Cade's notebook," she pulled an old notebook out of her bag, "Thank you so much. I don't know what I would have done without your notes Johnny. … Oh by the way I kind of saw that you were having some trouble with today's questions. I could help you… if you would like?"

Two-Bit noticed the tips of Johnny's ears turning slightly red as he mumbled, "I'm fine."

"Ok, suit yourself," Nancy shrugged.

The three stood in an awkward silence that Two-Bit thought could have easily been fixed if Nancy simply left, but the girl was stubborn.

"So, what do people do for entertainment in Tulsa?" she asked. The question was said openly enough but if you were paying attention you could tell that she had been hoping that Johnny would be the one who answered.

_Don't hold your breath_ Two-Bit thought. Trying to get Johnny Cade to talk when he didn't want to was like trying to get a cat to sing.

"They hang around," Two-Bit said pulling a box of cigarettes out of his pocket and started throwing it into the air and catching it.

Nancy nodded and turned her stare away from Johnny to Two-Bit who had to admit once again that even though he didn't like Nancy she was a good looking broad.

"Any hang-outs? Back home we use to _always_ hang out at this little dinner in town, Diana's. Do you have any of those here?" she asked with slight curiosity and an undercurrent of something else.

Two-Bit wasn't sure why she was asking all these pointless questions. If he had, had any hint at her true reasons he would never have answered the question but since he figured she was just being conversational he said with a shrug, "Sure, there is the Dingo… and other places too."

"Really?" she asked as she started batting her eyelashes, and turning her head between the two boys. Two-Bit tensed catching the signs of a girl who was trying to get something, "You know I would _love_ to see some of these places. My aunt wasn't exactly able to give a really valuable tour."

_So this was what she had been looking for, _Two-Bit thought groaning internally. Why hadn't he seen this coming? He could see his now ruined afternoon flashing before his eyes.

At some point Nancy's hand had found its way to Johnny's sleeve and had started playing with the ends of it. Her voice took on a suddenly shy quality to it, "Maybe… maybe you could show me around?"

Two-Bit started to shake his head no but he could tell he was fighting a losing battle. Johnny had been caught into her little trap and dragged Two-Bit into it. The second that, that small feminine hand had touched that arm Johnny's eyes hadn't been anywhere else.

Johnny looked up at Two-Bit and shrugged, "What could it hurt, Man?"

Two-Bit groaned internally again. Johnny was scheming on this girl real bad, whether he admitted it to himself or not.

"What could it hurt?" Two-Bit repeated, "Well it couldn't hurt anything, man."

'_Sept maybe my sanity _Two-Bit added to himself.

Nancy made a little squealing noise and clapped her hands like a three year old in a candy shop.

Two-Bit sighed. If he was going to have to do this – which he was because there was no way he was leaving this broad alone with Johnny – than he might as well get it over with, "Alright lets get going, but first I need a smoke."

He pulled a weed out of the pack he had been throwing in the air. When he struck the match he heard an intake of breath. Two-Bit looked up to see Nancy staring at the glowing flame at the end of his ever shrinking match. Her eyes were wide and round like saucer, and filled with what could only be described as naked fear. She was looking at the flame in away Two-Bit imagined one would look at a tiger that had suddenly crossed their path. Two-Bit had never seen someone look as scared as Nancy had looking at that match.

"Damn, Ow," Two-Bit yelled dropping the match as the flame started licking at his fingers. After lighting his cancer stick with a second match Two-Bit looked at Nancy and asked, "What's wrong with you?"

"Hmm, pardon?" she asked her eyes becoming guarded, "I don't know what you are talking about."

"Your face… with the match…" Two-Bit started but when he noticed the defiant look on Nancy's face he gave up, "forget it, let's split."

Nancy followed Johnny out of the parking lot. As she passed Two-Bit he didn't miss the nervous look she gave his burning cigarette.

* * *

Johnny was sitting in an old battered car seat, in the lot, watching Nancy prance around being exceptionally bubbly. As he sat there watching Johnny started thinking about Nancy. He didn't know what to make of her; one minute she was a chatty girl who was just slightly different from the rest then the next she was stranger than strange. She was unlike any girl Johnny had ever met, and he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. He was starting to think it might be a good thing, and he wasn't sure if _that_ was a good thing.

He thought back to a few hours ago when they had taken Nancy into the DX.

Two-Bit decided that since we were around the area he was going to see if his car was fixed yet. It had apparently broken down the day before well he was skipping class and he had to push it all the way to DX to see if it could be fixed. They introduced Nancy to Sodapop and Steve. Soda asked her after they had been introduced if she was hot wearing her jacket. She was still wearing her worn leather jacket even though the day had become quite warm.

When he asked this she had got this panicked look on her face. A look that reminded Johnny of a little kid who's favourite toy was about to be taken away. She then hugged the jacket tighter to her body and shook her head back and forth. She didn't say a word even though she had her mouth open like she wanted to but the words got stuck somewhere along the way.

Nancy hadn't stopped acting like this until the three left the DX gas station.

"Who's the girl?" a voice to Johnny's right asked pulling him back to the present.

Ponyboy was standing beside him looking at Nancy who was in conversation with Two-Bit.

"Nancy," Johnny answered, "she's in my math class."

Ponyboy nodded and watched the new girl for awhile longer before suddenly asking, "Hey…isn't that…?"

Johnny nodded in answer to the unfinished question. He knew Pony had recognized Nancy from that day in the park.

At that moment Nancy caught sight of the new comer to the area and left Two-Bit – who looked quite relieved with the sudden change – and came over to Pony and Johnny.

"Hello, I'm Nancy," she said with a huge unfaltering smile and an outstretched hand.

Ponyboy looked slightly taken aback at the hand then he lightly shook it, "So I've heard."

"You were there that day at the park," she said like nothing strange had happened that day and maybe for her nothing had, "You almost stepped on me remember?"

Ponyboy's ears turned red as he mumbled, "I remember."

"So Johnny's friend," she said with the smile that, when she's in moods like this, never seems to leave her face, "are you going to tell me your name?"

Johnny was slightly amused to see someone else squirm underneath Nancy's weird over-the-top personality. He was glad for it not to be him.

"Ponyboy Curtis," he said after a slight hesitation.

There was a small pause then Nancy smiled even wider, "It's nice to meet you Ponyboy Curtis. I hope you're more talkative then your friend Mr. Cade here. I have been sittin' beside him for two whole days and he hasn't said a peep to me that wasn't after something I already said."

She started backing away from the two boys but only got a few steps before she crashed into someone behind her. She turned around and looked into the cold emotionless eyes of Dallas Winston.

Johnny had been paying attention to Nancy's conversation with Pony so he was just as surprise as she was to see Dally.

"Who… who are you?" Nancy stuttered her voice quivered with a level of fear most people acquire when they find themselves face-to-face with Dallas Winston.

"Now, now, doll face, I think the question is who are you?" Dally asked her with a fox like grin.

Johnny saw Nancy take a deep breath and square her shoulders before she answered.

This time her voice was steadier but there were still a trance of fear in it, "I'm Nancy Richardson, and I really…should get going."

"Aw, but it's just getting fun," Dally grabbed a hold of her right arm making Nancy wince and try to, unsuccessfully, tug her arm away, "I'm sure a fine looking broad as yourself could find some time to stay."

Nancy's fake calm started to fade and her voice started to shake with emotion again, "No… really I was suppose to be home hours ago. My aunt she's probably so … so worried. Please I got to go."

Dally started playing with the end of her black hair, "Your aunt will worry, huh?"

Nancy nodded and when she talked this time Johnny could hear a faint trace of tears in her voice, "I need to go, _now._ I shouldn't have come here. It was a mistake… please just let me go."

She tried to pull her arm out of Dallas grasp again. She let out a little sob when she realized she was still trapped.

Dally opened his mouth to say something else but before he could Johnny spoke.

"Dal," he said quietly, and when Dally looked over Nancy's shoulder at Johnny he added even quieter, "just let her go."

Dally's stare hardened then after a few seconds he flung Nancy away from him, "go home to your auntie then."

After Nancy left there was a void of silence.

Dally lit up a smoke completely unaware of – or simple not caring about – the silence he had caused.

"What's up you're asses?" he asked after awhile. When no one said anything he asked, "You aren't all knotted up over that candyass broad? Come on she got all emotional over a little fun."

There was a pause then Two-Bit said cautiously, "Man, you didn't have to scare her."

"I wasn't gonna hurt her. She over reacted, man," he shook his head, "Why are you defending the broad anyways? You don't even like her."

When no one responded he flung his weed on the ground in disgust and stalked off.

* * *

Johnny was still in the lot when Dally came back later that evening.

The night had grown cold when the sun had gone down engulfing the world in darkness and Johnny had bundled himself in his old jacket.

Dally walked over to Johnny completely unaffected by the change in temperature. He pulled out a smoke and lit a match.

After taking a few drags he spoke, "That broad seemed to be scheming on you."

Johnny shrugged. He really didn't want to talk about Nancy, not again.

"Where did you find her?" Dallas asked in a bland uninterested voice.

Johnny shrugged again, "Math class."

The two were silent again. Johnny was still sitting on the old seat and Dally was standing beside him with his weed hanging out of the side of his mouth.

"Silvia cheated on me again," Dal said taking the weed out of his mouth, and his voice hardened slightly, "Some broads are just no good."

Johnny looked up at him not entirely sure where this was going.

"Not that I care, a good looking broad is a good looking broad," he started, "though you should be careful, man. You don't want to get in with the wrong girl Johnnycakes. You deserve better."

Johnny sighed.

"Man, I couldn't care less about Nancy. She's just some broad who sits beside me in math class," Johnny gave him the same answer he had given to Two-Bit only this time he wasn't so sure it was true.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the outsiders or the town.... I don't own anything but Nancy and her world

* * *

Nancy wasn't talking. Not to Johnny, and as far as he could tell not to anyone else.

It started that first Monday after the disastrously ended Friday. Johnny had been worrying about it since Nancy left the lot.

When he walked into the math room Monday morning his head was overflowing with thoughts. Dally and Two-Bit's warnings were bouncing between 20 or more different ways Johnny could – but wouldn't- approach Nancy.

He had no idea what to expect; which Nancy was going to walk through the door? It could be the lip flappin' one or the weird zoned out Nancy. She had acted so different in the past that it made Johnny's head spin. Johnny had no idea how the new development was going to affect her.

She was almost late again. She flew into the room a second or two before the bell rung, and casually walked to her desk. She silently got out her notebook and textbook before she even acknowledged Johnny's presence; when she did it was with a brief nod and a silently spoken "Mr. Cade." She didn't look at him when she did this or for the rest of the class.

That was how it went for the rest of the week and the week after that too. Not a word was said between the two of them once.

It was like it had been before Nancy showed up; at least it should have been.

Everything Johnny knew was telling him he should be happy that this happened. Dally and Two-Bit's warnings were foremost in his mind.

Johnny wasn't sure what about Nancy had made them put their defenses up so fast but they did. Johnny didn't think Nancy wasn't that bad. Sure she was annoying, but nothing worth worrying about; Two-Bit and Dally were his friends, and he trusted them. He was determined to take their advice to heart; the problem was his heart might not have got the message.

Something was not right. Nancy's silence was everything Johnny had been hoping for since the moment she walked into the classroom but now that it had come and Johnny just felt… empty. He wasn't sure how to explain it but he did know he sure didn't feel happy. He felt like something was missing.

Something to say to Nancy was always on the tip of his tongue and he had to struggle to keep it in. He wanted to say something like, "Dal isn't that bad once you get to know him," or that he didn't mean it. He wanted to undo what had been done. He was surprised to fine that he was angry at Dally for messing things up.

_Something is seriously wrong with me, _Johnny thought as he walked out of the math room with that weird empty feeling closely in tow. All Johnny wanted was to go back to wishing Nancy would just go away; he wasn't sure if that was even possible, but if it was the only way to do that was to get Nancy back to normal. He had to make her talk to him again.

* * *

Nancy slammed the door to her aunt's – her house as she entered.

Nancy was frustrated. She was frustrated with everything and was taking it out on the house. It had been about two weeks since the incident with Johnny's friend – she thought she heard someone call him Dal – and she was still smartening from it.

Everything in her life had come to a disaster and Nancy was frustrated with it. She was frustrated with the doctors, she was frustrated with Johnny's friends, she was frustrated with Johnny, and most of all she was frustrated with herself.

She had just given up. Nancy doesn't give in. She keeps at something to the point of annoyance. Giving up was something that Nancy just didn't do; at least she didn't do it before. _But things change, _Nancy thought bitterly, _you should know that by now._

She literally kicked her shoes off, making them fly across the room and bang loudly against the wall.

"Nancy? Is that you?" her aunt's startled voice asked.

"Yeah," Nancy managed a weak smile, "Who else would it be?"

Aunt Betty laughed softly, "I guess you're right. Was school alright?" She gave the shoes across the hall a concern look.

"School was school," Nancy shrugged, "Did anyone… anyone call?"

Her aunt shook her head and said the words that Nancy had heard so often that she joined in bitterly, "No change."

"Alright, I'll be in my room. Got a lot of homework to do," Nancy said before taking the rest of her frustration out on the stairs.

"George, something is wrong with her," Nancy heard her aunt say when she was about to go into the kitchen to check on dinner sometime later. They obviously hadn't noticed her outside of the doorway, "Ever since she came home that Friday she hasn't acted like herself."

"Betty, sweetie, it's probably just teenage stuff. You were that age once. I'm sure you remember what it was like," Uncle George comforted.

Nancy knew they were talking about her. She hadn't realized that her change had been so obvious but then she thought back to that afternoon.

"George, you aren't calling what happened teenage stuff," Aunt Betty almost wailed.

"No, I'm not, and I'm sure that has made things harder for Nancy, but Betty if this was only about the accident than it would have started before two weeks ago."

"I guess you're right."

Nancy didn't want to listen anymore; she also didn't want her aunt and uncle to know she had heard them. She crept back up the stairs as silently as she could than made as much noise as she could as she came back down.

"Is dinner ready yet?" she asked walking into the kitchen.

"You're just in time," Aunt Betty smiled. All traces of her pervious conversation gone.

Dinner was a silent affair. All that could be heard was metal scraping against plate. This wasn't that unusual; since Nancy had arrived – along with the tragic news – there had been many dinners like that one. Every member of the table was deep in their own thoughts.

Nancy had so much on her mind that she thought her brain might explode from overload. She needed to get some of it off her mind, but she wasn't sure she could.

"Nancy, you have neglected that dog so," Betty told her niece as they were cleaning up after dinner, "When was the last time you took him for a walk?"

Nancy looked guiltily at the dish she was washing, "Awhile."

"I'll finish these. You go walk your dog," Aunt Betty 'tsked' and took the dish from Nancy's hand.

Nancy nodded meekly and called Sam to follow her out of the room.

The night was still rather warm even though dusk would soon be settling.

Nancy didn't mind taking Sam on a walk; it gave her time to think and the exercise wouldn't hurt.

Nancy took a deep breath of spring air. She was glad to have gotten out of the house. She had shut herself up for too long.

She caught sight of the sun setting in a ball of fire across the grassy park. She had to stop and watch the colours grow, than fade.

It was at moments like that, that Nancy could see the world as Chris had. She could feel as well as see the beauty and wonder he saw when he stared up at the sky. It saddened her to realize she hadn't truly understood why Chris had enjoyed just staring up at the sky so much until it was too late to tell him.

She could also see at moments like that how he had believed so strongly that there was something besides this life, that their was something for us after were gone. Chris had believed that faithfully; where as Nancy was never sure, but looking at the beauty of the sunset she couldn't see how there couldn't be something else. She hoped there was something else for his-both their sakes.

"I love you both... and I miss you… so, so much," she whispered to the night as the sun's glow started disappearing.

She sighed and wiped the tears away from her eyes. Suddenly Nancy was jerked side-ways and Sam's leash was ripped out of her hand as the dog took off after a small animal.

"Sam, no! Heel, boy, stop! Bad dog!" she yelled as she took off after her beloved pet.

She continued yelling, "Sam stop, heel, bad dog! I'll give you a treat if you stop! Heel! Forget about sleeping in the house tonight! Sam!"

Nothing she yelled stopped the small dog. No command, bribe, or threat could stop the dog on his mission. A person standing in his way just might though.

Just when Nancy thought she was going to die if she had to run any farther she found Sam standing still, joyously licking the hand of none other than Johnny Cade.

"Oh, Sam, you horrible boy, I thought I was never going to see you again," she gushed upon seeing her dog safe and happy then noticing Johnny for the first time added, "Oh, Johnny… thank you I don't know what I'd have done if I lost him."

Johnny nodded and handed the leash to Nancy. She murmured her thanks again and slowly started to walk away.

"Dallas isn't such a bad guy … once you get to know him," Nancy stopped walking and turned to look at where the sound had come from; she looked at Johnny Cade.

Those were the most words he'd ever said to her and he had said them without any prompting from her.

She eventually managed to hide her shock and shrugged, "Well, I guess I'll never know for sure then."

There was a long pause. Johnny looked at her puzzled and she didn't walk away; even though she knew she probably should.

"What… what do you mean?" Johnny asked finally breaking the silence.

"He likes you," Nancy said avoiding the question and looking down at her dog, "He doesn't like many people – do you Sammy? – but he likes you."

Nancy bent down and pulled the small dog into a hug burrowing her face into his tan fur before she murmured, "I understand why. I like you too, but your friends, they don't like me at all. Don't think I didn't notice. Two-Bit he's a nice enough guy and funny too, but when he doesn't like someone it's easy to tell. Dallas – that is what you called him? – Well I think it was pretty obvious what he thought of me … I can tell… I can tell you don't think to fondly of me either."

There was another long pause where Johnny opened his mouth than closed it, than opened it one more time.

"It's ok," Nancy said tonelessly, "You're allowed to not like me. A lot of people don't. I'm use to it."

When still nothing was said, Nancy took that as a confirmation and walked away like she knew she should have done all along.

"I don't know what I think about you," the words were barely more than a whisper but Nancy heard them as clear as if they were shouted. Johnny continued even quieter when he saw that she had stopped, "There are times when… when you annoy me beyond belief, but other times… I just don't know."

Nancy stood motionless a half-smile slowly growing on her face. These words had given Nancy something she hadn't had for a while; they gave her hope.

"I'll tell you what Mr. Cade," Nancy said her old smile lighting up her face, "we'll stay as we are till you decide. I will continue to talk to you all I plese and you can continue to… well not talk to me unless you have to until you decide. When you decide than we'll change the ways we interact. I'll know you decided to like me next time you talk to me with out any prompting from me, and if you don't like me well… then I'll just know. What do you think Johnny?"

Johnny silently thought about what had just been said then gave her a simple nod.

Nancy smiled, "Well, I will see you tomorrow then, Johnny Cade."

With one last smile Nancy walked away, Sam trailing leisurely behind her, with a bounce that hadn't been seen in her step in almost two weeks.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclamer: **I don't own any of the characters except for Nancy and her world

* * *

Two-Bit slugged back another beer. Two-Bit loved being blitzed. Everything was so much easier and far less complicated when one was drunk.

"Read 'em, and weep, boys," Two-Bit said laying his cards on the Curtis' table.

He started to reach out and take his winnings when Ponyboy spoke up.

"Umm, Two-Bit…" he looked hesitantly down at the older boy's cards, "You don't even have a hand."

Two-Bit looked down at the cards on the table, and the numbers blurred in front of him. He blinked, and shook his head till his vision cleared, then laughed, "Damn, I thought I had a two pair. For a moment there, I was a rich man."

"Now you're a poor man," Ponyboy laughed as Johnny took _his_ winnings.

"Ahh, but I'm a happy poor man," he said dealing out a new hand.

"No, you're a dunk poor man," Ponyboy rebutted.

Two-Bit scoffed. The kid didn't know what he was talking about.

They went a few more hands and Two-Bit's cash dwindled.

"Alright," Two-Bit said, "Hit me with the cards Horse-boy," he went into a fit of laughter at his 'joke', "Man, I crack myself up… Horse-Boy."

"Umm, Two-Bit," Pony said for the second time that night, "You're out of money, man."

"What-ch-yeah talkin' 'bout!? I still have," Two-bit looked down at his empty wallet, "zero dollars, I can make a few more rounds out of that!"

Ponyboy shook his head at his drunk friend, "You're broke, man, you're out, games over."

"Pfft," Two-Bit said as he staggered out of the chair, "You don't know what you're talkin' 'bout."

He, nevertheless, still left the game and sat down on the couch, after he flicked on the T.V.

The News was what came on. He sat there staring mindlessly at the screen.

"God! Can you believe it?!" Two- Bit yelled at the T.V. a few minutes later, "What is wrong with the world."

"What? What happened," Ponyboy asked as he and Johnny joined him by the television.

"No idea," Two-Bit said with a wide grin.

"Then why-" Ponyboy started to asked then thought better of it, "Never mind, skip it."

The three boys sat in a comfortable silence. Two-Bit had more or less fallen into a drunken stupor when he was snapped out of it by Johnny's quiet voice.

"She came to the lot the other day… well her dog did. She just followed it," he was continuing a conversation with Pony that Two-Bit had missed.

Two-Bit, however, thought he knew exactly who they were talking about. _Nancy_, how he hated that name. It had been two or three weeks since the name first touched his ears and it still left a bitter taste in his mouth when he had to say it.

On a normal, well a none drunk night, he might have kept his opinions to himself, _might,_ but his impairment made whatever chance there was – and it had been a slim one- disappear.

"Nancy," he sneered, "she's a flake. No good, shouldn't waste your time on that one. I know her type. She's a tramp, a no good tramp. She acts all candyass, but I see through that, oh yes, I do. She uses all that lip flappin' to get close to you, making you think she wants to go steady, than as soon as you 'go all the way' she's out of there, moved on, out to find the next big thing, and that won't be you. That's the type of person she is. A good for nothing, candyass acting, tramp," Two-Bit paused for a moment breathing slowly, "I need a beer."

He got up and went to the kitchen. Nancy had irritated him to no end and pushed through his carefree, slightly childish attitude. She had brought out a side not commonly shown in Two-Bit. A side that Two-Bit works hard to hide.

"I need to forget," Two-Bit mumbled to himself as he pulled another beer out of the Curtis' fridge.

* * *

The Curtis' living room was dark and quiet. It was late, or depending on how you wanted to look at it, early. The entire house was asleep, the entire house except Johnny.

He was lying on the couch staring at the dark ceiling. Two-Bit had stumbled out of the house hours ago, but his words were still there, ringing in Johnny's head.

'A flake' 'no good tramp' 'good for nothing' 'not worth the time' Tramp? Johnny just couldn't see Nancy that way. Sure she was annoying with all her lip flappin' and weird sometimes, but a tramp? No, Johnny just didn't believe it, and yet what reason had she given him to trust her? She could just be acting like Two-Bit had said. She hadn't given Johnny any reason to trust her. So why did he?

There were plenty of people in his life who he should be able to count on, but can't. So why was he going to believe this girl who has given him no reason to trust her over Two-Bit who was one of the only people in his life he know he could count on?

Yet, he wanted to believe her more than Two-Bit. Two-Bit's opinion just didn't fit Nancy. It just didn't. What did Two-Bit know anyways? Sure, he's had his fair share – probably more- of girls, but what did he know about Nancy? He didn't know anything, but then again, what did Johnny know? Now much more than Two-Bit did, that's what Johnny knew.

Johnny gave a frustrated sigh and turned on his side so he was facing the back of the couch.

He'd spent half the night thinking about those questions, and still wasn't any closer to answering them than he was before.

* * *

Nancy walked out of her math class feeling happier than she had felt in a long time.

She had an extra bounce in her step and she knew the reason. It wasn't math; it was Johnny Cade.

They hadn't even talked – they had been taking a test – and yet she felt better, more alive, than she could ever remember. Just sitting beside him made her heart start to race and her cheeks feel all warm.

She spent the rest of her day in a daze, just hoping she would get another glimpse of him.

Her attitude towards everything had changed since the night she had talked to Johnny. She stopped moping around the house, stomping and throwing things. She even started helping her aunt and uncle with things around the house. It was a complete turn around. Her aunt was so surprised, she hardly believed it.

Nancy didn't care if anyone believed it or not.

She, however, was worried. Deep down below her new attitude all her old worries and pains were still there and a new worry had come up too.

Nancy knew that in an instant this new ground she and Johnny were standing on could fall out, and it might be a long way to fall.

Once , Johnny, made up his mind, Nancy would know exactly what part of her future held for her.

Though, she was trying to prepare herself for the worse. It could very easily go the bad way. Nancy knew she was a little over the top, for normal people, and Johnny seemed to even more shy and reserved than a normal person.

That's was what made Nancy feeling this way so weird. She knew that they were at complete opposite ends of the spectrum. Nancy talked more than a normal person, and Johnny hardly talked at all.

Yet, she still liked him. Nancy really liked Johnny Cade, and she knew – no matter how many times she told herself she wouldn't - that if Johnny decided he'd be happier if she never talked to him again, than she would care very much.

Nancy had liked boys before, but she never felt quite like she did when she saw Johnny. Now, she doesn't think it's love, she knew that it wasn't realistic to say you loved someone you barely know, but she thought it would easily be possible to love him one day.

Nancy sighed as she walked up to her room that night. She wasn't sure what the next day would bring, but, for the first time in a long time, she felt like she was ready to face it.

_Maybe, _she thought climbing into her bed, _maybe this is god's way of trying to make up for what I've lost. _


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the characters you reconize. I only own Nancy, and her family

* * *

Nancy sat at her desk lightly tapping her pen against her math notes. She watched the clock hands slowly tick closer to the bell. Four minutes… three… two… where was he?

Johnny hadn't shown up. He was usually there, or with Two-Bit and Nancy had seen Two-Bit alone walking towards his own class – or so she assumed. She didn't know where Johnny was and for whatever reason this put her on edge.

The bell rung and the teacher started his lesson, but Nancy wasn't paying attention. She was too busy wondering where her quiet seat partner was. _For someone so quiet_, Nancy thought, _his absent sure left a large hole_.

_You're being silly, _she told herself after a particularly ridiculous scenario went through her head, _he's probably just ill, or skipping. That's it, he's probably just skipping. His type has been known to do that. Heck, I had done that… but what if he isn't? _

She couldn't get that question out of her head. It had bounced into her head and got stuck on the sticky spider's web in the back of it, taunting Nancy.

"Ms. Richardson?" Mr. Lakeland said, "Ms. Richardson are you with us?

"Huh?" Nancy said coming out of her imagination long enough to realize how rude she had been, "I mean, I beg your pardon, sir, could you, please, repeat that?"

"I asked if you could, please, tell use the answer to the question," he repeated exasperatedly.

_The question _Nancy thought _I have no idea what the damn question is. _She looked around the room, desperate to find a clue to what she was to say. She found nothing.

Finally she said, "I don't know, sir."

"You don't know the answer or the question?" Mr. Lakeland asked tiredly. It was obvious he wanted to be out of there as much as the rest of the room did.

Nancy could have said 'both sir' but she saw no point in getting in trouble uselessly so she said, "The answer; I don't know the answer."

Sadly, Mr. Lakeland has been teaching too long to fall for that one, "Then what, pray tell, is the question?"

Nancy looked at the board helplessly hoping the answer would suddenly appear before her eyes. It didn't.

"Umm… I… it's… I … I don't know sir… I'm sorry," she stuttered.

"That is very disappointing, Ms. Richardson," he said, "Perhaps, a trip to detention will teach you to pay attention in my class."

It wasn't a question; it was an order, so there was nothing for Nancy to do but hang her head and meekly reply, "Yes, sir."

* * *

It may have been the first time at this school that Nancy had detention but it didn't mean she hadn't been to one before. She knew what to expect. If you've been to one detention then you have really been to them all.

Nancy knew the routine either do your homework or stare at the wall. Nancy took a seat at the back and opted for her homework.

She had hardly gotten settled before there was a commotion from down the hall, and then a few minutes later, the door slammed open and Two-Bit walked in followed by a sullen looking friend.

"Mrs. Bradshaw," Two-Bit said going up to the teacher – an old, tried looking lady, who appeared to want to be anywhere but where she was. Nancy knew the feeling, "did you miss me?"

"Mr. Mathews," Mrs. Bradshaw sighed in a way that suggested she had done anything _but_ miss Two-Bit, "take you're seat."

Two-Bit winked at her before walking towards the back and plopping himself in the seat in front of Nancy. His grouchy looking friend followed.

Nancy wasn't surprised to see Two-Bit in detention – well she _was_ a little surprised he _showed up_, but she wasn't surprised he had _gotten_ detention. What she was surprised of was that he took the seat in front of her. He must not have seen her, since Nancy knew how Two-Bit felt about her, and it wasn't in a best buddy's kind of way.

As she sat there trying to concentrate on the math she missed that morning, little bits of the boys conversation drifted back to her, and she couldn't help but listen.

"Two-Bit, I can't believe you got me in here," the other boy said. Nancy knew she had seen the face before, but she couldn't, for the life of her, remember his name, "I have a job. That I can't miss, or I'll get fired, and if I get fired my old man will go ape."

"Don't flip your wig man. Just split," Two-Bit said easily with a wave of his hand.

The boy glared at him. There was a vain throbbing underneath his complicatedly swirled hair and Nancy thought he was going to burst a blood vessel, "And how am I suppose to do that with the teach right there?"

"Bradshaw?" Two-Bit laughed, "She'll crash in like ten minutes tops. Soon as she's a-snoring, you can cut out and get to your little job, Steve-o,"

Steve just crossed his arms and slunk down farther in his chair.

They seemed done talking, but a few seconds later Nancy heard a name of interest.

"I didn't see Johnny today," Steve said slowly, and angrily, but Nancy was starting to think everything Steve said came out with an edge.

"He didn't come," Two-Bit said shortly. He said it casually but Nancy caught a tone that said he didn't really want to talk about it.

"Again?" Steve said, anger and disgust very evident on his voice now, "Why can't they just leave their hands off him?"

Two-Bit shrugged, but from her angle behind them, Nancy could see his shoulders tense, "'Cause he's a no good drunk who has nothing better to do, and she's no better."

They then sat in silence.

Nancy didn't have the whole story, she actually hardly had any of the story, but she thought she had enough to figure out what was going on. Someone, Nancy didn't know who but she had a good idea, hit Johnny, and used him as a punching bag. It made sense really. It made all the little things that didn't make sense before add up. The little cuts and bruises, scars, the unexplainable hours he was out at night, the lost look in his eyes, and most likely, the quietness.

A bubble of rage started swelling up inside her. How could a parent – for Nancy was sure it was one or both of them - do that to their child? How? Why? You're suppose to love and care for them instead of beating them down. They're a part of you, how can you hurt a part of you?

It slowly dawned on Nancy that Johnny had never known a parents love. The closest he ever got was from his friends, like the two in front of her. It broke her heart, again, to realize this.

Then, another question came to her. What is more painful, Johnny's situation, or what she herself had gone through. It, like questions she had asked herself before, got stuck on the spider web of her brain and wouldn't leave.

That's why when Mrs. Bradshaw's head fell forward and a snore escaped – just as Two-Bit had said it would – Nancy snuck out with the rest of her fellow delinquents, and the first thing she did when she got home was find the phonebook.

* * *

Two-Bit didn't want to go home; he didn't know where he wanted to go, but home was not it.

As he walked the blackened streets of his neighborhood, he heard the usual sounds. On this night the yelling was coming mostly from the Cade house. Two-Bit shook his head sadly has the house came into view. Johnny was too good for them.

He was about to walk on past when her noticed something that made him stop.

The house was there in its usual run down glory, but standing by the broken fence that surrounded the yard, in the glow of the street light, was a girl with hair as dark as the night sky around them, and a leather jacket.

"Nancy," Two-Bit said in irritation walking up to her, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Two-Bit didn't know how she got there but he was going to make sure she left.

"Thinking," she said quietly. Her voice sounded funny to Two-Bit, "about what could be worse than never knowing a parents love."

Two-Bit looked at the house, thinking of the friend whose life was trapped in there, "Nothing."

"What about having that love, then losing it?" Nancy looked at Two-Bit then and he was surprised to see her eyes brimming over with tears.

Two-Bit had to admit that Nancy really was a pretty girl. The tears made her look young, and innocent. She looked rather helpless.

He shrugged. He wasn't quite sure what made him say what he said next, but something about her face made Two-Bit let a bit of his guard down.

"I see Johnny every day. Both of them are drunks. They ignore him half the time and beat him the rest, well the old man does, the old lady just watches," Two-Bit pause and looked down the street, "My own old man left. Ma tries to make things good for me and Polly but … it's hard… but shit, we all have our problems."

Two-Bit pulled a smoke out of his pocket; he had, had more than enough sharing. He struck his match against the pack. Nancy, immediately, tensed and stared at the glowing flame. It reminded Two-Bit of the last time Nancy had done this.

He lit his weed and put out the match, "Why do you do that?"

She looked back at the house, "Do what?"

She was trying to act like nothing was wrong, but Two-Bit didn't miss the small hesitant glances she was giving the orange glow of his cancer stick.

"Freak out over little flames," he said, and then added when it looked like she wasn't going to say anything, "Come on, I told you mine, least you can do is tell me yours… please?"

She continues to look at Johnny's house but it seemed to Two-Bit she wasn't seeing it. She was seeing something else, something far away, something in her past.

"It's amazing," she finally said, "how destructive one little flame can be."

There were a slight rustling sound and Two-Bit looked down. She had pushed up the sleeve of her jacket and Two-Bit could see the angry red welt, scar, burn, snaking around her right arm.

Before Two-Bit could say anything she started walking away.

She didn't get too far, however, before Two-Bit yelled, "He's had a hard life, don't make it any harder. Leave him alone… please."

She stopped and turned around. The light still lit her face and Two-Bit could see something in her eyes he couldn't place, or didn't want to.

"Is that what he really wants?" She asked slowly referring to Johnny.

Two-Bit paused. He didn't know the answer to this. He could lie and say yes, or he could tell the truth.

Even with what he had seen that night he couldn't stop himself, "Yes, it is what he wants."

Two-Bit couldn't lie to himself this time. This time he knew exactly what he saw in her eyes. Nancy's eyes obviously showed, hurt and disappointment, and Two-Bit began to wonder if he had done the right thing. Wondering if what he had done was wrong.

"I will," She paused for a moment, "As soon as Johnny tells me to leave him alone himself, I will."

Then she walked into the darkness leaving Two-Bit alone with his decisions.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything but Nancy and her world

* * *

A new lesson had begun in math and Johnny didn't understand this one any better then he had the last. Nancy, however, didn't seem to have a problem with it. What she seemed to have a problem with was staying awake. The one time Johnny had glanced over at her desk she had, had her head down on it, and her eyes practically closed. _She really is cute, _Johnny thought as he watched her lazily flick her pen around, _More than cute, pretty. _

"How long do you think," Nancy said leaning over and flicking the pen in front of Johnny, "it would take for the class to stop if I started shoving this up my nose?"

Johnny smiled and had to suppress a small laugh. It had been such a Two-Bit like comment that it made Johnny wonder, not for the first time, why Two-Bit had such a problem with Nancy.

Johnny thought about giving her a response, but before he could decide if he would or not there was a knock on the classroom door.

Mr. Lakeland opened the door and then had a quick whispered conversation with the school's petite secretary, Ms. Wright, who had been the one to knock.

"Ms. Richardson, could we speak to you for a moment?" his voice didn't seem any different than the one he used when he was teaching but he had a slight look on his face, "Out in the hall if you would."

This new happening had woken the class up from their lecture induced stupors. They were all now watching intently, waiting to see what would happen.

As Johnny had predicted the first day Nancy had arrived, none of her fellow classmates had taken to Nancy the way Mr. Lakeland had so naively promised, but they were teenagers, and teenagers lived for drama, and gossip. Nancy's new predicament screamed drama and gossip.

Nancy was no longer slouching on her desk, or playing with her pen. She was sitting rim-rod straight, and Johnny thought he noticed her hands were shaking ever-so-slightly, as she got up from her desk and walked out into the hall.

Ms. Wright put an arm around Nancy's shoulders as they walked out of the room. Johnny wasn't the best at reading people, but if he had to bet on it, he would say that something much more important than a mundane school thing was going on. He would say that something, something was wrong.

Mr. Lakeland followed the two women out of the room, but only closed the door half way. That way he could still keep an eye on his twenty or so young adolescents, and be a part of what was going on in the hall. It also made it so that if Johnny moved his chair just so, he could see everything that was going on out in the hall.

The class erupted in urgent whispering the second the adults left the room. The air was heavy with excitement. No one seemed to be concerned about what might be being said to Nancy, for Nancy's sake; they were all just happy to be first hand on some fresh new gossip. Johnny knew just as well as anyone in the room, whatever happened in that hall, interesting or not, some version of it was going to be known all through the school by lunch time.

Mr. Lakeland turned and gave the class a sharp look, but did not come inside the room. The whispering started right back up as soon as his back was turned again.

The group out in the hall was talking in hushed tones, and Johnny doubted that even the people sitting right by the door could hear what was being said. Slowly, after a few minutes Nancy started shaking her head. She started out slowly but then the speed increased so that her head ended up look like blur.

Ms. Wright opened her mouth to say something else to her but before she could finish speaking Nancy started to yell, "No, no… I don't believe you… no she couldn't… but… no…"

Nancy's back was facing the doorway so the class couldn't see her face but there was a slight shaking of her shoulders that told those who were looking for it that the tears had started.

"I'm sorry," Ms. Wright had raised her voice so that she was know audible to those listening, "They said she could pull through yet… they're just not sure."

The room was silent. So silent you could hear a pin drop. Every face was turned towards the door. They were all absorbed in what was going outside of their room; they were committing everything to memory. Nancy's hallway discussion had just become the best kind of gossip.

Johnny watched with the rest of the class as Nancy's shoulders continued to shake and light sobs could be heard. No one, least of all Johnny, knew what was going on in the hallway, but it was quite obvious now that whatever was being said was not good news.

There seemed nothing else for anyone in the hall to do. Mr. Lakeland slowly came back into the classroom and tried to get on with the lesson he had started. Eventually the students stopped watching the door. Johnny, however, couldn't seem to pull himself away from the scene, he couldn't seem to pull himself away from Nancy.

Ms. Wright made a move forward, trying to comfort Nancy. She put a comforting hand on Nancy's shoulders. It sat there for no more than a few seconds before Nancy jerked away from her like she had been slapped. Ms. Wright started whispering again, and Nancy started her head shaking again.

"No!" with one final yell Nancy took off running down the hall and out of the school.

The class started whispering again, and Johnny was taken by the sudden urge to get up out of his seat and follow her. He managed to ignore that urge and stay where he was. She was probably already out of the school by that time, and probably didn't really want to see him.

Johnny wondered what the secretary had told Nancy. What had she been told that had made her act that way? What secrets was Nancy keeping to herself? She was a mystery in every way, and yet Johnny was starting to find that fascinating rather than annoying. Johnny was hit suddenly by an image of a red scar snaking around a delicate arm, and wondered, once again, what he was going to do about Nancy.

* * *

_No, no, no, not again, no…it can't…I can't…no!_

Nancy squinted against the bright sunlight and wondered what had made her come out here. She had been wandering around outside for what seemed like hours but really could have just been minutes. She wasn't sure where she was anymore; she wasn't sure of anything anymore.

_How, how had it happened? Why…but... no…_ Nancy's thoughts were a big jumble. Hadn't she lost enough? What did she do to deserve this? She had been good, followed the rules, and still she had been punished. How much suffering was one person suppose to take? Was she really supposed to take this too?

She stumbled to a stop at the green grass of a park. Her face was wet and sticky with fallen tears, and more were still falling. She took a few stumbled steps onto the grass, and then her knees feel out from underneath her. She grabbed fist full's of the sunny, green grass around her and ripped it out of the ground. She did this several times. She threw them away then grabbed more.

"You took them from me first," she finally sobbed letting the grass fall limply from her hands, "Why her too? Do you really need to take her too?"

* * *

Two-Bit was wandering the streets of his neighborhood with Johnny. There was nothing else to do; no one else appeared to be around, so the two boys had nothing better to do but walk.

There was a comfortable – if unusual – silence between them. It was strange for Two-Bit to be so silent; usually he was filling the air with jokes and wild stories. Today, however, was different; today Two-Bit had other things on his mind.

It had been two days since he had talked with Nancy outside Johnny's house, and Two-Bit still hadn't told Johnny about it. Nancy had said she would leave Johnny alone if Johnny told her to himself, but Johnny still hadn't done that. Johnny hadn't told her because Two-Bit hadn't told him that he could and she would.

Two-Bit just couldn't get that look out of his head. The look of pain that flashed across Nancy's face when he had told her that Johnny wanted her to leave him alone had plagued the boy since the words had left Two-Bit's mouth. Doubt and guilt had been eating at Two-Bit ever since. What if he had been wrong about Nancy? What if she actually did – in her weird, annoying way – care for Johnny? Then again, what if she didn't? Two-Bit would ask himself _What if I was right to begin with, than I allowed my friend to get hurt._

Than there was Johnny himself. Two-Bit knew that Johnny was quiet, but if he really disliked someone, he would tell them to leave him alone, wouldn't he? So, than why hadn't he told Nancy to lay off him already. She had been hanging around for almost two months now. Surely, even quiet Johnny would have gotten fed up enough to tell her to back off by now if he was truly and completely annoyed by her.

Two-Bit shook his head as if hoping that action would clear him of all his problems. He was tired of wondering. Wondering was too much like work for lazy, care-free Two-Bit Mathews to waste too much time on.

"Hey, Man, have you seen much off that Nancy broad lately?" Two-Bit asked breaking the silence, "She still botherin'yeah with all that lip flappin' of hers?"

Johnny shrugged, "Still have class with her."

Two-Bit nodded putting his hands in his coat pockets, "Bummer… I still don't trust her. Still think she's a flake, and it's no good getting close to a flake."

"Don't flip your wig, man. She's still just some broad I sit beside cause the teach put her there," Johnny said quietly, but firmly, ending more discussion on that topic.

"I dig that," Two-Bit said after a few minutes, "Just wondering… saw her the other day, around here."

Johnny looked up put didn't say anything.

"She was walking around, and we were talking," Two-Bit said vaguely. He didn't feel like sharing the full details, "and you know, man, I told her to you leave you be… she told me that if you wanted her to do that, she would, as long as you told her to."

Johnny didn't say anything. Two-Bit didn't really know if there was anything else to say, but he wanted to keep on talking. Now that he decided that this was the way he was going to go he wanted to make sure he convinced Johnny to do so.

"All of that lip flappin' talking-"

"Mr. Cade!" Nancy called from behind them.

The two boys turned around to see the girl walking rather quickly towards them. They could see she looked rather disheveled, and both boys noticed that something about her appearance looked off, though neither could put their finger on why.

"Speak of the devil," Two-Bit whispered under his voice, "Now's your chance Johnnycakes. No better time then the present."

"Mr. Cade, Two-Bit," she said quietly for Nancy. Two-Bit noticed that her eyes, and cheeks were red, and her nose was running. She looked like she had been bawling, and Two-Bit felt a sickly feeling crawl up in his stomach, and he fought to keep it down.

"Richardson," Two-Bit said tightly, and Johnny simply nodded.

She smiled, trying, it seemed, to look like her usual self, but not quite succeeding, "What are you boys up to?"

"Walking, and talking, but not at the same time, cause that takes more skills than a couple of hoods like us have," Two-Bit said, attempting a joke, then laughing at it as he walked farther away from the two.

He walked until he couldn't hear the two anymore then stopped. He hoped that Johnny would send Nancy packing, while at the same time he hoped that he didn't.

Two-Bit felt Jittery, and was having a hard time keeping that cold slimy feeling down. He needed a beer, but since he couldn't get a hold of one he went for the next best thing. He pulled a pack of weeds and matches out of his pocket. He turned and sheltered the small flame on the match as he lit the smoke.

He took a drag and felt some of his nerves calm, but the slimy feeling seemed to have grown instead of shrink. He took a quick glance at the other two out of the corner of his eye.

_What am I doing? _He asked himself as he watched Johnny's lips move, _why am I getting involved? I don't care, I'm care-free and… and funny, not meddling and_ _… and… Manipulative …... though Johnny wouldn't do it if he didn't want to… would he?_

Two-Bit took another drag, and then frustrated with the lack of results, he flung it on the sidewalk, and then grounded it into the pavement with his foot.

He took another glance hoping to see Johnny leaving, but instead what he saw was Nancy's face. It was only a split second glance, before she managed to compose herself and smile, but it was enough. Suddenly, that cold slimy feeling erupted from his stomach and took over the rest of his body. It was cold, and slimy, and horrible. It had been enough of a glance for a growing feeling of guilt to arise in Two-Bit, and he asked himself again if he was doing the right thing.

He shook his head, and was glad to see that when he looked back Nancy was gone, and Johnny was walking towards him.

Johnny's face wasn't unreadable, but it also wasn't readable either. It was just enough of a look to make Two-Bit growing slimy guilt grow just a little more.

"Come on, Johnnycakes, let's split. I have a sudden need for a brew," Two-Bit said ushering the other boy in the direction of the closest alcohol.

* * *

Night had fallen, and once again Johnny found himself alone in the lot with only his thoughts to keep him company. This wasn't an unusual thing; Johnny spent most of his nights out there. He could go to the Curtis' but Johnny didn't feel like being a burden, besides it was a nice night, why waste it?

Tonight, however, Johnny didn't want to be alone with his thoughts, or feelings. He didn't like the direction they went, or the way they made him feel.

Why had he done what Two-Bit had told him to? He asked over and over, getting the same answer every time, _because I wanted to, and I trust Two-Bit… but if I wanted to then why do I feel so… crummy now?_

That question, more than the other was what had plagued Johnny most. He had thought Nancy had annoyed him, had bugged him. He had even said it before – hadn't he? So getting her to leave him alone should have been a happy thing, a relief. It shouldn't have been… painful. That, however, was what it was, even before he saw her face; when he was just willing the words to come out, it had been just that, painful.

If that wasn't what he wanted, then Johnny didn't know what he wanted anymore. Life had become much more confusing than was necessary, Johnny felt.

He shook his head, trying to fling all his thoughts away. When that didn't work, he got up from where he sat and started to walk.

The night was beautiful. Not to hot, not too cold, it was the perfect night. The sky was clear, letting the millions of starts and full sparkling moon shine down on Johnny, and the world. It was peaceful; well as peaceful as their run down neighborhood could be. There was still the usual sounds of cars, yells, and illegal activities that, no matter where you went, you couldn't get rid of.

Johnny walked, enjoying the way the sound his shoes made against the pavement mixed with the general evening din.

That was when the first scream came, followed by a few muffled yells and thumps. These weren't unusual sounds in the neighborhood, but somehow this seemed different, somehow Johnny found his feet moving him closer. He wanted to see what was going on.

There was another scream, closer this time, and Johnny realized why he was so curious. The voice sounded familiar. Johnny thought he knew the screamer; he just couldn't figure out who it was.

He heard from an old, dingy ally way a muffled, sobbing voice. This was it. Now, he was sure he knew the voice; he just couldn't seem to place it.

Johnny took a deep breath; he could always just keep on walking, Two-Bit always told him bawling broads weren't fun, but the same force that had moved Johnny down the street, moved him into the ally.

It was dark; the only light came from the street light on the street Johnny just left, and the moon. In the dimness Johnny could make our a few features of the ally-way. It was practically bare, with only a few large crates stacked up again a chain link fence on one side, and as he walked a little farther in, he noticed a lump of dark coloured clothing on the ground.

Johnny took a step forward and then he heard the sobbing again; it was coming from behind the crate. Johnny took small steps forward, no quite sure what he was actually doing. What would he do once he saw who it was? What if he didn't know who it was? What if he did? What did Johnny know about crying broads? What was he suppose to do?

All those questions spun around Johnny's head, but none of them stopped his moving feet.

"Nancy," Johnny heard the words come out of his mouth before he even thought about them, "What happened?"

Nancy was behind the crates, her face all red and puffy, her nose running, and her hair almost completely out of its ponytail. She was crying, and holding her right arm. The blouse she wore had some how been torn so that, that whole arm was now visible, as well as the angry, red, welting scar that ran along it.

"What happened," Johnny asked again not sure if he was referring to the scar or the blouse, or maybe even both.

Nancy, however, didn't answer. She didn't even seem to have heard what Johnny had said. Johnny wasn't even sure she knew he was there.

Nancy was hunched up, holding her arm tightly to her chest, and rocking back and forth. Her eyes, still streaming with tears, were looking at the crates ahead of her, and she was babbling incoherently to herself under her breath.

Johnny felt a new wave of guilt wash over him. Was this because of him? He had known something had happened that morning, and she had looked like a wreck when he had seen her that afternoon. Why had he said it? She didn't need that on top of everything else; whatever everything else was.

He bent down so that he was level with where she sat. Now he wasn't driven by a force to know, but by a force to make amends.

"Nancy," he said quietly, this time very aware of what he was saying, and what it might mean to her if she actually heard him say it.

She, however, did not seem to hear him at all. She was still rocking and babbling. He still couldn't hear or make sense of what she was saying.

Slowly, not completely sure of what he was doing Johnny reached out his hand and touched her arm.

Like magic, her head snapped in his direction at his touch and recognition flared up in her desperate tearstained eyes.

She jumped and grabbed his out-stretched arm with both her hands, "Johnny," her voice was small and fearful, "The jacket… the jacket… I… I need the jacket, it, it was … was his jacket… I can't… can't lose it… not now… not… ever…please…the jacket…"

"The jacket?" Johnny repeated confused; he had no idea what she was talking about.

She nodded fiercely, "The jacket, his jacket… tell me you know where it is… please… Johnny, please."

_The Jacket,_ he repeated in his head trying to figure out what she was talking about with out getting her hopes up, _the Jacket… his jacket…_

Suddenly, he was hit with an image of every time he had seen Nancy, from that first time at the park to that afternoon, and he knew. He knew what she was talking about; he also knew why Nancy had looked funny that afternoon when he had seen her. It was that jacket, that old, battered, leather Jacket, that jacket that she had, had with her – if not wearing it – every time Johnny had ever seen her. Every time he had seen her except for that afternoon, and except for now.

"Your black leather jacket," Johnny said as he realized it.

"The jacket… I … I can't lose it, it was his," she said nodding her head, and sobbing again.

Johnny had no idea where her jacket was. How could he? It was a huge city and Nancy could have been all over it for all he knew. He wanted to help but he didn't know how to -another image flashed before his eyes.

He held up a hand to indicate he would be back quickly, and then walked back to the entrance of the ally, the entrance where he remembered seeing a dark coloured article of clothing. A dark coloured clothing that could easily have been a battered, black leather jacket.

The look on Nancy's face was enough to know he had found the right thing.

She let out a very girlish squeal, took the jacket from Johnny, and clutched it close to her chest. Then she did a much unexpected thing.

She flung her arms around Johnny in a tight embrace, "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Johnny didn't say anything, but after a few seconds he brought his arms around and returned the hug. He smiled; he liked the way Nancy felt in his arms.

Nancy looked down at her feet, and mumbled, "Sorry."

Johnny coughed, but didn't say anything. He reached up and ran a hand through his greased hair.

They stood silently in the dark ally. Nancy shifted, and then tried to pull the torn material back together.

Johnny followed the movement with his eyes, "What… what happened? I, I heard a scream…… did someone…"

"What this?" Nancy asked quietly holding up the remains of her now ruined blouse. She may have stopped crying but sounded nothing like her usual self, "No… no, no one did anything… the fence… I got caught, I sort of panicked… sorry. I was… sort of... and yeah, and then it ripped."

Johnny nodded, and looked up at the sky, "It's pretty late… you should probably, your parents-"

"Aunt and Uncle," Nancy interrupted quietly.

"Aunt and Uncle are probably…" he trailed off.

Nance bit her lip, and shook her head, "No… no, I can't… not now. I can't deal… there's just too much…"

She looked like she as going to cry and babble again so Johnny dropped the subject. Home was probably the place she should go but Johnny wasn't sure if he could handle her crying again.

"You can't just stay here," he told her quietly.

Nancy stood still for a moment then nodded, "Can I… go with you?"

Johnny didn't respond. He didn't know how to respond. In the end, he just shrugged and let her take that how she wanted.

She took it as a yes, and the two walked silently back to the lot. There they sat down and were silent again.

Johnny didn't really know what to do or say. He didn't know how to feel. He wasn't use to being with Nancy and having her not talk.

Finally, she spoke, reminding Johnny of first time he saw her in the park, "I read a poem once," her voice was soft and she was staring off in the distance seeing something Johnny couldn't, "The author was writing about how the world would end, in fire, or in ice. I didn't think much of it then but now… I know an end by fire is a hellish torture I wish on no one."

As she finished speaking she turned to look at Johnny. Her eyes were sparkling with unshed tears.

Johnny opened his mouth, and then closed it. He didn't know what to say. He didn't even know what was going on.

He didn't, however, have to wait long to find out. Nancy turned back away, once again looking in the distance, at something farther away than Johnny could have known. Then she opened her mouth, ready to tell a tale she had kept to herself for far too long.

"It was four, four or five months ago, when my life was turned upside down by the painful destruction of fire…"

* * *

The day had been like any other. Nancy had gone to school, came home, did her homework, hung out with her neighbor, ate dinner, and then watched some television with her brother Chris and her mom. Her dad had gone to be already since he had to wake early for work. Chris went to bed first, and Nancy followed him about an hour after, leaving her mother alone in the living room.

It seemed – to Nancy at least – that no sooner had she gone to sleep than she was woken by a loud exploding sound from the back of the house. Later she would be told that was the fire exploding from its origin – the kitchen.

You see, the house was a simple bungalow, with a hallway from the front door, leading down to the kitchen in the back. On either side of the kitchen were Nancy's brother's room and her parent's. At the front of the house on either side of the hallway were Nancy's own room, and the living room. In between her brother's and Nancy's rooms was the bathroom.

Nancy woke with a groggy start unaware of the mayhem ensuing around her. As she shook off the last bit of sleep she became aware of a strange smell. It was dry and acidic; the smell was making her throat dry up, and her eyes water.

That was when she noticed it: the dark, pluming smoke drifting into her room through the small crack under her door, and the manic barking coming through as well.

Nancy was no longer sleepy. She was out of bed in a flash. Her heart hammered against her chest. She didn't know what was going on but she couldn't get the old saying out of her head: where there is smoke there must be… fire!

Nancy threw open her door and was assaulted by a wave of thick, black smoke, and Sam ran wildly around her legs barking his little head off. Through the smoke she could see the blazing glow of fire. The whole wall that once was the way into her kitchen was now an orange wall of fire. She could feel the heat from it from her bedroom doorway, and she could feel her throat tightening with each new breath.

None of this, however, processed in her mind. All she could think about her family. They were on the other side of that wall.

She drove forward yelling and coughing, "Mom… _cough, cough_ Dad, _cough, cough, _Chris… Mommy _Cough, cough, cough, cough _Dadd-"

She broke off in a scream of agony. She'd never known such a pain. It was like she couldn't feel her arm, and at the same time it was all she could feel. Her knees buckled. There was so much pain; she was struggling to hold onto consciousness. She didn't know why she was trying to stay conscious. Every thought she had, had was gone. The only thing she knew was the searing pain in her right arm. She wanted it to stop; she just wanted to end the pain. She tried to grasp her arm but then pulled back as the pain tried jumping to her other hand. There was so much pain.

Then another sound broke through the pain: one brisk bark, followed by another one. Sam's barks broke through the pain long enough for Nancy to remember what was going on. The Fire. Flames must have jumped from the walls onto her arm and was burning through her thin night shirt and onto her skin. Another bark brought a phrase back to her memory. She started rolling around, trying to ignore the pain her arm made when touching the ground. The pain was still there but the spreading had stopped. Oh, but the pain.

Another bark and Sam started tugging on the other sleeve of her night shirt with his mouth. She had to get out. That thought broke through the pain and stayed there. She let go of her burnt useless arm and started using her good arm to crawl across the floor. She started her long painful trek across her house with only Sam for support.

As she crawled to the front door she noticed a black jacket hanging from a hook. She slowly reached up and pulled it down, vaguely thinking in some distant corner of her mind that her brother would want his favourite jacket.

After a painful struggle with the front door, Nancy collapsed on the front porch.

The last things she remembered hearing before she passed out was her own name being called and the whirl of sirens.

* * *

"When I woke up in hospital almost a month later, they told me I'd grabbed the coat for nothing," Nancy was holding the jacket tightly, she wasn't exactly sobbing but there was a steady stream of tears running down her face, " My brother… Chris...Chris… he… he didn't make it… out… neither did my dad."

She then took a long pause, trying to compose herself before she could continue. Johnny didn't rush her. He wasn't even sure he wanted to hear the end of the sad tale, but he wasn't going to stop Nancy now. She needed to tell someone.

Finally, she seemed able to go on, "The firefighters got my mom, but the doctors don't know if she'll make it or not. She's been unconscious since that night. She, she got burnt pretty badly. They wouldn't let me see her for almost a month, while my own burns were still healing. They… they wanted to take her off life support… but I wouldn't… I couldn't let them."

She paused again, and for the first time during the whole story she turned to look at Johnny. He could see all the pain, and fear she had held inside finally reflected through her eyes.

"The fire took everything. We… I had nothing," she took a breath trying to hold back a sob, but failing, "I… there… we… didn't even have … bodies," She chocked over the word, "to burry… I… we had to burry empty boxes… with out my mother… I had nothing and I was alone. All I had was a pair of burnt pajamas and a leather jacket."

"Then my aunt came up… she… she help me with-with the-the- fun-funer- Then she said she had to take me back here. I didn't want to go. I didn't want to leave my mom-mommy by herself, but Aunt Betty had to go, and so did I. The doctors promised me before we left that they would call if anything happened."

She looked away again, " I, I spent almost two months here with either no word, or no change then, then," Nancy turned to look at Johnny once again, "and then this morning," she choked off into a sob again, "Nothing's confirmed…but, but it doesn't look good………… I thought I'd been holding it together. Doing relatively well, but then you-"

She cut off abruptly, but Johnny didn't need her to finish that statement to know what she was going to say. He felt guilt weasel its way into his stomach.

Then before he even thought about it he said, "I didn't mean it."

There was silence, a silence that was different from all the other ones, and then Nancy asked, "Really?"

Johnny thought about it and realized that it was true. That it really was. Something else clicked into his head too. Johnny had finally figured out what he wanted.

"Really," he said quietly, "I really did mean it… Nancy."

She stared at him in silence from a long time then she smiled a true happy-go-lucky smile. It was the first true smile Johnny had seen on her face all night.

"Well, then I'm glad," she paused a moment, "Johnny."

They sat in silence for a long time. Neither really knowing what was left to say.

After a while Johnny turned to tell Nancy she should probably go home now, but then stopped. She was asleep. She looked too peaceful to wake-up, so instead he took the leather jacket and spread it over her like a blanket.

He watched her a moment longer, then smiled. He knew what he wanted. After over a month of being confused, Johnny Cade finally knew what he wanted, and he was looking at her.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclamer: **I do not own anything but Nancy and her world.

**A/N:**I am so sorry it took me this long to update. I wrote this chapter out ages ago, but then got a little distracted, and forgot to type it up. Anyways, I hope you enjoy.

* * *

Two-Bit left his house in a cherry mood. It was a new day and anything that had happened yesterday was in the past. Two-Bit liked to think of himself as a 'live in the moment' kind of guy.

Of course, that philosophy only worked well when the moment is nice and calm; sadly Two-Bit's moment wasn't anymore.

As Two-Bit walked past Johnny's house that nagging feeling came back to him; it clawed at the back of his mind. _Johnny seemed glad enough to be rid of her last night_, he told himself. The only way it appeared that Two-Bit could go back to his happy in the moment morning was to find Johnny and prove to his annoying new conscience that Johnny was happy – and ultimately better off – without lip flappin' Nancy.

A quick glance at his house told Two-Bit that Johnny wasn't in there. He then moved on to the Curtis' where he knew that if he couldn't find Johnny there he could at least find breakfast. He hoped that the chocolate cake wasn't all gone.

After polishing off all of the Curtis' cake and a couple of beers – never too early to start boozing– Two-Bit continued his hunt at the lot. It was the last place he had to look. If Johnny wasn't there than Two-Bit was sunk because he couldn't think of anywhere else he could find the kid.

He pretty much expected Johnny to be at the lot, but what Two-Bit hadn't been expecting was for him to be with anybody.

Two-Bit stopped short. He couldn't believe what he saw. How did Johnny end- up in such a situation with Nancy!? Nancy!? He had thought she had been gone for good, and now this! Two-Bit could see her bare shoulder hanging out of the top of the jacket that had been slung over her.

Two-bit didn't want to assume; he didn't want to believe what he thought had happened, happened, but what else could he think?

If it had been anyone else from the gang - with the exception, perhaps, of the kid – he would have been the first to clap them on the back and make a witty joke about it, but Johnny and the kid were different. They weren't street tough, hard hearted in the sense everyone else was. They were different. They were better; they could and should do better than the rest of them.

"Aw, Johnnycakes," Two-Bit couldn't stop himself from saying.

He also couldn't stop himself from wondering if it was his fault. He should have fought harder to keep the little tramp away. Johnny didn't know the way of women; he shouldn't have left him to fend for himself.

"Two-Bit?" Johnny's voice was groggy and confused, "What's got in your wi– aw man, it ain't what your thinking."

Johnny moved away from Nancy who was still asleep, and told Two-Bit what he had heard the night before.

As he listened, Two-Bit felt his prejudices argue with the new information. At first he wanted to write I all off as a lie, but he didn't think anyone would really lie about that. It also explained a lot of things; her fear of fire, and obsession with that jacket to name a few. Plus, that burn – for Two-Bit now realized that was what it was – that he had seen the other night was pretty hard evidence.

_What does this change? _He asked himself. Did a tortured past really mean she was reliable, trustworthy in the present. Was he really that against her anymore, anyways?

Before Two-Bit was forced to make a comment on any of that information he was saved by Nancy herself.

"Where am..." she appeared confused by her surroundings, but as memory came back to her she added, "Johnny?"

This to Two-Bit seemed like the perfect time to excuse himself; he had already learned more than he really cared to know for one morning.

* * *

"Nancy, is that you?" The worry in her aunt's voice was enough to make Nancy feel guilty.

She didn't intend to upset anyone; she had just needed some space to deal with everything.

"Yes, Aunt Betty, it's me," she replied although it was unnecessary because her aunt had come into the hall and could easily see it was Nancy for herself.

Her aunt rushed forward and pulled the girl into a hug, "oh we were so worried. We had no idea where you were; we couldn't think of a friend to call," she sounded more relieved than worried now. She pulled back and looked Nancy in the eye, "where were you?"

Nancy couldn't look her aunt in the eye. She felt guilty about worrying her on top of everything else that had been going on.

"I'm sorry," Nancy said looking at the floor, "I should have called to tell you; I was with a friend… I didn't intend to spend the night… or really end up there in the first place but… I just couldn't stay here; I needed some space… I couldn't handle… well, everything."

There was a silence after Nancy finished explaining herself. Her words hung in the air waiting for someone to come along and take them in.

Finally her aunt spoke," I understand… I know it is a lot, a lot for anyone to handle; you've been so strong, so brave sweetie. You know you can talk to me or Uncle George any time you want."

Nancy still stared at the floor. She didn't deserve this kindness. She had been selfish; but that was going to stop now.

"I know that now," she said smiling at the women who had taken her in when she had needed an adult.

Before she could do anything Nancy found herself wrapped in her aunt's arms again, and she found she liked it. She relaxed in the comforting secure feeling of a hug.

After a few moments she pulled back and asked the question she had been equally anticipating and dreading most, "Has… has there been any-any news?"

"I'm sorry honey, nothing," Aunt Betty said with a sad head shake. "Not since last time – they have gotten her stable, but they don't think it will last long."

Nancy nodded; it was all stuff she had heard before.

"Well, no news is good news," Nancy said with fake cheerfulness as she headed up the stars, "or so they say."

With one more sad smile, Nancy raced to her room.

* * *

Johnny was surprised to find Nancy in her seat the following Monday. After everything he had figured that she wouldn't have come to school.

"It's better than just sitting around waiting for something to happen," was what she said as he sat down that day.

She did, however, look worse for wear. It was obvious she had made some attempt to act like her usual self but this time her protective armor had been permanently cracked and everyone could see the vulnerable girl that lied beneath it. Her face was pale, and she always kept her hair down covering her face. Her talking also had all but stopped.

It was almost a week before Ms. Wright the secretary visited the classroom again. Johnny saw Nancy visibly tense as a déjà vu feeling came over him.

He felt badly for the girl. Johnny didn't know what it felt like to lose a parent – he didn't even really know how it felt to have a parent, but he remembered how Ponyboy and his brothers felt when Mr. and Mrs. Curtis died. He even remembered how he had felt; they had been the closest thing to real caring parents Johnny had really known.

He tried to give her an encouraging smile when she looked over at him. He wasn't too sure that it gave off the desired effect though.

"Ms. Richardson, could we speak to you for a moment?" Mr. Lakewood said.

Johnny got such a bad case of déjà vu as he watched her walk to the front of the room that he had to look away.

The faculty must have learned from the last time because they took Nancy to the office – or at least somewhere farther than the hallway outside the door – to talk. Mr. Lakewood also didn't go with them this time.

Johnny didn't know if that was a good sign or not. He didn't know anything. As the day went on, Nancy never came back and his curiosity and concern grew.

He didn't see Nancy later that day or the next either. The days stacked on top of each other until Nancy had been absent for almost week.

Johnny wondered what had happened to Nancy. He wondered what the secretary had told her and what he should do. He argued with the idea that maybe he should go and see her; but in the end he had to rule that out since he didn't know where she lived. He knew she was staying with her aunt but he had no idea where that was. He figured she probably lived on the Soc side of town anyways.

That, however, didn't turn out to be a problem. A little over a week after the incident Nancy found Johnny.

Johnny was in the lot with Ponyboy and Dallas when she showed up.

"Nancy," Johnny said in surprise. He had started thinking he would never see the girl again.

Nancy looked better than she had in a while. She was dressed in the exact outfit she had worn that first day of school, right down the perky ponytail and the blouse that wasn't buttoned up properly and of course the black leather jacket.

"Hello Johnny," she said with a small smile. She took a step forward and gave Dally a nervous glance; obviously her last meeting with him was fresh in he mind, "Umm, do you think you would mind walking with me?"

Johnny took a quick glance at Dally. He had gone from leering at the girl to glare. He hesitated at this obvious dislike for the idea and the girl, but then he remembered Two-Bit and decided to go anyways.

They walked in silence for a while. Johnny decided to wait for Nancy to say something first. She always did before.

They walked into the park that he had first seen her in and sat on a bench.

After a short pause she gave Johnny a smile that lit up her whole face, "She's going to be ok. My aunt had called the school that day. The hospital had called. My mom came out of her comma, and the doctors said she's going to make a full recovery… well more or less."

Johnny was only mildly surprised by this news. He didn't really think that she was going to tell him something bad. Nancy had looked happier than he had ever remembered seeing her. It made her even more beautiful.

"That's great," he said because it seemed like the point in the conversation when he was expected to say something.

"It is," Nancy agreed dreamily, but then her expression turned regretful, "but, the thing is, Johnny, I have to go back home. Someone needs to look after mom, and she is in too serious a condition to fly down here, so Aunt Betty, Uncle George and I are leaving to go there."

_This_ news _did_ come as a shock to Johnny. He hadn't thought about her leaving for a very long time, but as she said this he remembered something she had said to him the first day at school: _"I'll get you to talk to me. I don't mean those whispered one word answers you give me when you can't get out of talking to me. I mean really and truly talk to me. I'll get you to do that before I leave this place."_ He had forgotten about it as time went on, but he remembered wondering, at the time, why she would be leaving.

Johnny's heart did this funny sinking thing as he realized what all this would mean. It meant he had wasted all his time with her fighting what he should have known the whole time. It meant that she was going and he was going to be alone again.

"When do you have to leave?" Maybe there was still some time left.

She looked mournfully into her lap, "Tomorrow."

_Tomorrow,_ he really had wasted all his time.

"I'm so sorry, Johnny," she said looking more sorry than Johnny felt – if that was possible, "I should have told you sooner but… look, there was something else I wanted to say, even if it is being too forward. I don't care; I want you know. I want you to know that I wouldn't leave for anything else. I've come to enjoy Tulsa more than I ever thought I would have, and that's because of you Johnny Cade. You made life here enjoyable, even if I couldn't get you to talk to me for more than half the time here. I really, _really _liked you Johnny, and I'm going to miss you."

Before Johnny could even think about what she had just said, Nancy leaned down and kissed his scar less cheek.

"Who knows, Uncle George has to come back for his work every now and again, maybe I'll come with him," she smiled mischievously.

She started to walk away but paused a few steps out and turned back.

She looked at Johnny thoughtfully, "You know, Two-Bit was probably right. I wasn't really the girl to get involved with… thought I'm glad you did… Speaking of Two-Bit, he'll be glad to hear I'm gone."

She laughed merrily at the thought.

"Goodbye, Mr. Cade."

And then she was gone. She left Johnny's life as suddenly as she appeared.

* * *

**A/N:** Well, that was the offical last chapter of my story. I hope you have all enjoyed it. It may not be the end though, because I've been debating with the idea of adding an eplogue, so I may update this again soon. Anyways, thank you for reading, and I really hope you have enjoyed.


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